Traditionally, inventory control has been done by the company or organization using the items in the inventory. In smaller offices, inventory control is typically not a high priority, and orders may be placed whenever items are out of stock.
As an office increases in size, inventory management becomes more of a challenge, and monitoring of frequently used or crucial items becomes very important. Typically a person is given the responsibility of monitoring inventory and ordering replacements as supply diminishes. As a company further increases in size, more advanced inventory management techniques may be used. For example, supply and usage trends may be analyzed to determine minimum quantities on hand, and seasonal or other peak usage may be determined.
Some larger offices have switched to automated or semi-automated inventory tracking systems. These automated systems utilize barcode scanners or other electronic identifiers to track outgoing and incoming inventory, and can prepare purchase requests as supplies diminish.